Matthew 22:15-22 - Paying Taxes To Caesar

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and planned how to trap Jesus in conversation. ¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. They said, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere and that you teach the way of God truthfully. You don't favor any individual, because you pay no attention to external appearance. ¹⁷ So tell us what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

¹⁸ Recognizing their wickedness, Jesus asked, "Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the coin used for the tax." ²⁰ They brought him a denarius. Then he asked them, "Whose face and name is this?"

²¹ They told him, "Caesar's." So he told them, "Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." ²² When they heard this, they were amazed. Then they left him and went away.

¹³ Then they sent some Pharisees and some Herodians to him, intending to trap him in what he said. ¹⁴ They came and told him, "Teacher, we know that you are sincere. You don't favor any individual, because you pay no attention to external appearance. Rather, you teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or shouldn't we?" ¹⁵ Seeing through their hypocrisy, Jesus replied to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." ¹⁶ So they brought one. Then he asked them, "Whose face and name are on this?" They told him, "Caesar's."

¹⁷ So Jesus told them, "Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were utterly amazed at him.

²⁰ So they watched him closely and sent spies who pretended to be honest men in order to trap him in what he would say. They wanted to hand him over to the jurisdiction of the governor, ²¹ so they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're right in what you say and teach, and that you don't favor any individual, but teach the way of God truthfully. ²² Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"

²³ But he discerned their craftiness and responded to them, ²⁴ "Show me a denarius. Whose face and name does it have?" "Caesar's," they replied.

²⁵ So he told them, "Then give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

²⁶ So they couldn't catch him before the people in what he said. Amazed at his answer, they became silent.